Just Like Tris: A Divergent Fan Fiction
by Divergent24
Summary: This story is about an Erudite girl, Jordan Larnatt, who has never known where she belongs. But when she meets Tris, she realises that she has more in common with Tris than she thought. Jordan realises that to survive, she and Tris are going to have to stick together.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

I wake up to the

loud buzzing of my alarm clock, signaling the time to get up. With my head still down, I reach over to my bedside table and grab the clock, shoving it under my bed covers. Maybe if I silence the ringing, night will come back, and I won't have to face the daunting day ahead.

Its not that I have a test or anything, as part of Erudite I have them all the time. I don't hate school, I'm just desperate to avoid the day that will tell me what faction I should be in. The Aptitude Test.

I lift my head up to find a piece of paper from my notebook, stuck to my forehead. My dad's laptop sits in front of me, open on a historical website about the war. I must have fallen asleep studying. In Erudite we are encouraged (or forced as I am) to study and try and improve our knowledge. Don't get me wrong, I like to expand my knowledge and learn new things, I'm just not open to doing it this way.

"Jordan!" my mum yells from the kitchen. "Get up! It's a big day, Will is waiting for you!" Ah yes, Will. I have known William Dayton for basically my whole life. Before we were born our families were friends, and so are we after spending so much time together. He is only 2 months older than me, but he always fake picks on me for being young. At least I hope he's joking.

I finally get up to face the day, giving up on the whole alarm clock theory. I walk to my wardrobe and pick out a white top, blue jacket and jeans. Erudite colours. I sit in front of my mirror and stare at myself. I have green-blue eyes, long dark blonde hair that sits in natural ringlets, and I have glasses. Of course.

Unlike most Erudite's, I actually need glasses. I don't wear them to look smarter like all the other people, I actually need them.

I look back at the mirror. I honestly don't know how the Abnegation are able to not use mirrors. Every morning I sit here and do my hair. I check my reflection to see if anything has changed but nope, its just the same old me.

I take my brush and start brushing my hair but give up as my hair just gets more knotted. I resort to just leaving it out and clipping back my fringe (well, just the front parts of my hair) with a sparkly silver clip. I stumble down the stairs, nearly tripping over and grab an apple for breakfast.

"Aren't you going to have a more substantial breakfast? You need the brainpower." My mum said lecturing me. Erudite talk.

"No mum I'm not hungry." I replied. My mum was about to argue back when the doorbell rang. I opened it to see Will standing with his backpack slung over his shoulder. He was wearing jeans like me with a white hoodie. His brown sits perfectly, not a strand out of place. His glasses are missing on his face, but I've gotten used to his I-couldn't- care-less-about-Erudite attitude. He's always been really interested in Dauntless, and I don't blame him, but personally I like to be part of my faction.

"You ready Danny?" He asked. Danny is the really annoying nickname he gave me back in 3rd grade. Everyone said I had a boys name but he decided to give me a nickname. Although it's technically still a boys name he won't stop calling me it.

"Yes I am Willow." I said. I'm no lover, I'm a hater, I fight back.

"Enjoy your day, and choose wisely in the test!" My mum yells as we walk away.

"Will do Mrs. Larnatt." Will replied in his always-respectful tone he uses with adults. We walk down to the school kicking stones at each other.

"So Aptitude Test." I say

"Yeah." Will replies

"What do you think your results will be?"

"I'm hoping Dauntless, I find them intriguing, but they will probably be some stupid faction like Candor or Amity."

"Not Erudite?" I ask

"I just don't feel like I fit in. I'm the only Erudite who hates being one, and hates learning." Will said kicking a stone at least 4 metres ahead of us.

"Well I think I'll be stuck with Erudite for eternity." I say

"Is that so?"

"All my ancestors have been Erudite. Five generations back to be precise, I'm the only child so I don't want to disappoint my parents." That fact however is not entirely true. I had a brother, who had been recording private information on Erudite from the age of 10. He had reported all our information to other factions and transferred to Abnegation to protect himself. However our faction leader, the wicked Jeanine Matthews, found out and executed him. We are forbidden to speak of him.

"Yeah that's true I guess." Will has a sister called Cara who stayed with Erudite. Will to has had lots of Erudite in his blood, however two generations back one of them transferred to Candor.

We finally reach the school and all anyone talks about is the Aptitude Tests. I try to ignore them. I like the way I live, aside from all the studying and work. But everything in our community seems to just fit in like a giant jigsaw puzzle, and I feel like the Choosing Ceremony and Aptitude Tests will remove parts of the jigsaw, so that it can never be completed. Will and I walk o our lockers, which just so happen to be next to each other. I take out my books for class. Will and I walk together to the classroom.

Our school corridor is always busy. People in black, the Dauntless, picking fights with each other, running through the halls and slamming fists against lockers. Then there is the black and white Candor. Starting arguments and complimenting people by expressing their true thoughts, good and bad, about other people. The Amity, in red and yellow, walking through the halls, laughing at jokes and making them, walking in their tightly knitted friendship groups. Then there is us, the Erudite in our blue and glasses, telling people facts and debating on everything. Then of course there are the Abnegation in their long grey robes and shortly cut hair for the boys, tightly knotted hair for girls, walking to the sides of the corridor, trying not to draw attention to themselves but constantly being shoved into lockers by Candor and Dauntless. Ever since the Erudite released articles about Abnegation, running government badly and keeping food for themselves, they haven't been in with good luck.

The bell rings, signaling the start of first period. Will and I sit next to each other, I look to the left of me to see a skinny Abnegation girl sitting next to me. From memory her name is Beatrice, or something like that. I ignore her and keep passing notes back and forth with Will all the way through class. Not a very Erudite thing to do, but we might not be dressed in these colours, the same colours, 3 days from now, so we might as well enjoy this time together.

Halfway through class I turn to look at the Abnegation girl again. Her hair is in a super tight bun and she is staring out the window. If you tilt your head just the right way you can see the gates. From there you can see just the tiniest bit of Amity farmland. I wonder if she's considering switching to Amity. She turns her head to me when she realizes I'm staring and she puts her head down, trying to disappear I guess. I look at the window, and finally realize what she was looking at. The window casts of a reflection. I can see my glasses and curls in the window. Abnegation can't look at mirrors. Something about vanity. Something tells me this girl wants to transfer. She looks desperate for a little fun. The bell rings and she stands up hastily, walking fast, but in short steps to our next class.

"Come on Danny!" Will says to me grabbing me at my elbow and pulling me towards our next class.

Something about that girl fascinates me. She is Abnegation, who are the most obedient of all the factions, because they don't draw attention to themselves, so therefore just follow faction rules.

However, this girl looks different to every other boring Abnegation out there. She has that determined look, like she was built to be brave. She is just in the wrong clothes. I decide then that I will pay close attention to what she chooses tomorrow at the ceremony. Just to see if my prediction was right.

This girl looks like a Dauntless.


	2. Chapter 2

**(AN Thanks to you if you are still reading my book. Here's chapter 2)**

Chapter 2

Will and I are standing outside the doorway to the Aptitude Tests with all the other Erudites. The line doesn't seem to be moving at all, so I study all the other factions. I look at the Amity. They are playing hand games, while they wait. The Candor are playing some sort of game called truth. We of course are standing here sharing knowledge and debating while the Abnegation all stand in a straight line looking straight ahead. I spot the girl in my class, standing next to a brown haired boy just a little taller than her.

Just at the moment the trains roll past and the 16-year-old Dauntless jump out of the trains and roll down the hill. Will and I stare at them, interested in the way that they just happen to get the exact right timing. I've watched them before. I find it entertaining. The way they act, so wild, but so free makes me slightly jealous. I've seen them climb buildings, jump off trains onto high roofs and even zip lining through the sky. As I am watching the Dauntless, I don't even notice the lady at the desk yelling out "Next, Next, Next YOU NEXT! Hello miss its your turn!" Will pushes me forward. The lady in front of the desk is in black and white, no wonder she was so rude.

"What's your name?" She asks

"Jordan Larnatt." I reply

"Room 4." She says. I walk to the room with a big 4 above the door. I open the door slowly and walk in closing the door softly.

"I'm Tori, I'll be administering your test sit down and drink a cup of the blue liquid." My tester says. She's clearly Dauntless. When she turns I see a tattoo on her neck. She has piercings up and down her ears and is in all black.

I sit down and I am about to hold the cup to my mouth when I become worried about what the liquid is.

"What is this? I don't want to drink liquids if I don't know what they are." I say

"It'll put you under a simulation where I will see which faction you belong to."

"But.."

"Drink, I have more people to test you know?"

"But.." Tori comes over and hits the bottom of the cup. I nearly choke on the liquid, but swallow it just in time. I place the cup next to me and slowly see the world fade.

I wake up in the room I fell asleep in. Tori is gone though and so are all the computers. Its just me in the chair, in front of a mirror. I stand up and look around. The mirrors keep multiplying, making me dizzier with each second. Someone taps me on the back I turn to see my reflection staring at me, but she is 3D, and can move when I don't.

"Choose." She says to me pointing at two dishes. One containing a knife and one containing cheese.

"Why" I asked

"Choose"

"But I don't want to. Tell me why I should."

"Are you gonna choose?"

"Not unless you tell me why."

"Fine then." My reflection says as she disappears. I hear a low growl and turn to see a giant dog looking at me. I step back.

"Woah dog, you don't want me, um, I'm just bones no meat." The dog growls louder and advances toward me. I kneel down and tuck up into a ball. From my Erudite knowledge I know that this is my best option, because it will hide all my important body parts. Suddenly the dog whimpers. I look up and it has shrunk into a little puppy. I slowly push my hand toward the puppy. I close my eyes, scared of what might happen, but I just feel slobber on my hand. I open my eyes and stroke the dog.

"It's a puppy, he's so cute!" I turn to see a little girl running towards the puppy, but it seems to have turned into a dog again and its growling at her.

"Run!" I yell at the girl

She starts sprinting in the other direction but the dog chases her. I can only think of one thing. I have to tackle the dog. I sprint as hard as I can and when I get near enough I pounce on the dog, we both seem to fall into the floor.

The next time I open my eyes, I'm in a big grey room. My hands are held together, with handcuffs, and I see a Candor and a Dauntless in front of me yelling words that I can't comprehend.

"We know that you worked with this man. Tell us who he is!" The Dauntless man yells at me.

I think I recognize the man they are suggesting. I feel like I have worked with him before or known him for a long time. I think of Will. The man looks like Will. I can't give away my best friend.

"No I don't know this man." I say in a completely serious tone

"Just be honest, by being honest you are saving thousands of lives." The Candor woman says. I want to help them, but I could never give Will away.

"I don't know him." I say

"You aren't leaving until you tell us the truth!" They both scream.

I close my eyes and tell myself that it isn't real. The handcuffs loosen, and I bob down and step over the handcuffs, so that my hands are in front of me. I run up and punch the Candor woman. I have never hurt anyone in my life, but the power felt good. I kicked the Dauntless man and kept hitting again and again until they both went down.

I woke up with a start and breathed heavily. Tori re-appeared in the room. She grabs my shoulder.

"Come with me!" She yells very seriously so I decide its best to save my Erudite curiosity. I walk out the back door into a closet just big enough for 3 people.

"Listen, Jordan, your test results told me nothing. You have equal aptitude for Erudite, Abnegation and Dauntless. Its called Divergent. You have to be careful, no one must know. Not your family, your friends, NO ONE. Okay?"

"Okay." I said "But..."

"This is no place for questions I'll tell them that you got Erudite. You ask Enough questions for your whole faction."

"Wait. Just tell me this, I'm not the only one am I?"

"No." Tori replied "There is another girl, exactly like you.


	3. Chapter 3

(AN If you are still reading now, and are starting to think about stopping here, DON'T. You'll love this chapter. :) )

Chapter 3

I was just about to head home when I got a text on my phone (Erudite Technology) from Will.

**Wanna meet up at the park for a chat? **

I was concerned because Will never said chat.

**Sure be there in 5**

I said because deep down inside, I felt like this may be the last time I saw him.

I walked through the gate of the park and saw a dark haired boy facing the other way. I came and sat next to him.

"Hello Danny."

"Hello Willow."

"How's life going?"

"Well it was good until I met you."

"Jordan you do realize you knew me since you were born. There was no 'meeting' I was at your mums hospital bed when you were born!"

"True, True." I replied with a smile.

"How was your aptitude test?" I asked

"Good, no problems" Will replied "You?"

"Same" I said "So why is it you arranged this very formal gathering Mr. Dayton?"

"Ok you got me. I want to know what your aptitude results were."

"William, are you asking me to break the rules of the secrecy of the aptitude tests?" I asked shocked

"1. That was a load of jib jabber I barely understood

2. You seriously care about those rules?

And 3. Yes Jordan I am."

"Well if its so easy to break the rules, why don't you tell me what you got?" I asked

"Dauntless" Will replied casually. "Now according to the universal laws of the term 'fair is fair' you have to tell me what you got."

"Will you can't expect me to just tell you.."

"Yes I can"

"And how is that so?"

"Jordan you're my best friend, I told you, now you tell me."

"No."

"Is little Danny being a wussy wuss?" He said in a mocking tone.

"Will, you aren't Dauntless yet so there is no need to go picking on Erudite girls like me."

"Just tell me Jordan."

"Fine!" I said "Erudite." It finally dawned on me that Will and I may never see each other again. I know that I also got results for Dauntless, but to everyone else, I got Erudite. That's all I'll ever be. Tears welled up in my eyes.

"Don't cry." Will said "Just because you got Erudite, doesn't mean you have to pick it on the day."

"But I didn't get Dauntless, so I'll never have the bravery to pick it. Don't you understand Will?! We may never see each other again."

Now Will is a perfectionist when it comes to what I look like. He pretends to rage if my hair doesn't look perfect, or if I'm underdressed. So when Will started leaning in towards me, I thought he was just trying to fix a strand of my hair that was loose. But he kissed me. William Dayton, my best friend.

"WILLIAM DAYTON I KNOW THIS MAY BE HARD FOR YOU BUT THERE IS NO NEED TO GO THAT FAR!" I screamed

"Jordan, I'm sorry I was just trying to comfort you, and we'll never see...

"Goodbye William." I said as I stood up and walked back home. I was angry at Will, but then again I also felt bad. There was no need to rage at him, after all he was my only friend.

_Had he always felt this way about me? _I wondered. I pushed the thought away. Will and I had been best friends forever, there's no way that he could have felt that way.


	4. Chapter 4

**(AN At the end of this chapter, my writing gets very similar to Veronica Roth's. I was reading through Divergent, and writing what Jordan would be doing in this circumstance at the same time. All of the ideas and general scene writing are from Veronica Roth, and I do not own the story of Divergent.)**

Chapter 4

I was woken up that next morning, not by my alarm, but by my mum screaming "IT'S THE BIG DAY, GET UP JORDAN, GET READY!" I moaned and rolled out of bed to find that my mother had layed out an outfit for me. A light blue blouse, navy coat and jeans with black flats. My mum was clearly more excited about this than me. She straightened the curls out of my hair and put a blue headband, which was covered in fake white pearls, into my hair.

We walked to the building where the Ceremonies took place, and unlike the Dauntless and Abnegation, we took the elevators.

We all took our places in a reverse alphabetical line, I was behind Beatrice from my class and in front of a Candor boy, and Jeanine made a speech about the history of our factions and the rules about visiting and all the stuff we already know. Then a guy called Marcus from Abnegation started reading out the names.

I snapped to attention when a boy named Caleb Prior was called, because the name sounded familiar. I looked up the line to where the movement was coming from and saw the boy, Caleb walk up to the bowls. He must have been Beatrice's brother, however, he looked nothing like her. He cut his hand and held it over the water. He went from Abnegation to Erudite. The screams from Erudite around me pierced my ears.

"Beatrice Prior." Marcus called. Beatrice walked down to the bowls. She looked really nervous, and she was quite pale. She took the knife, cut her hand and stood between the coals, and stones. Dauntless or Abnegation. After what seemed like ages, I heard her blood sizzle onto the coals. A Stiff just went to Dauntless. She must have true courage.

"Jordan Larnatt." I winced. I didn't think my turn would come so soon. My mum and dad turned to smile at me. I stood up and walked towards the bowls.

_Erudite, Abnegation, Dauntless, Erudite, Abnegation, Dauntless_

I knew that I was to selfish for Abnegation, and I just couldn't betray Erudite like that, so I had two choices.

_Bravery or Intelligence?_

I pushed the knife into my hand and winced as my skin split. I knew then what I had to do. If the Stiff could do it, so could I. I held my hand over the coals and felt relief as my blood sizzled on the coals. A wave of black stood up and cheered. I had done it I was in Dauntless.

I sat next to Beatrice with a piece of fabric over my hand to stop the bleeding. They had just started the D's. Would Will still pick Dauntless. After our fight last night, I don't think he would want to ever see me again. Would my choice affect his dream? I know that it wasn't technically my fault, but he was my best friend so I still felt sick to the stomach.

"William Dayton."

I saw Will emerge from the mass of blue. Hair looking as perfect as always. He walked out and took the knife all in one movement it seemed. He looked so sure. He cut his hand, and held it straight over the coals. I wasn't going to stand in his way, and I felt a relief flood through me. As he walked towards the rest of the transfers I couldn't help it. I jumped up and threw my arms around him, and fortunately he didn't reject me like I had last night.

"I'm so sorry." He whispered

"I forgive you." I said

"Thank God, I won't be trying that kissing thing ever again." He said. I laughed, thankful to have my best friend back. We sat down and watched the rest of the ceremony.

Just as the last person was sorted, Amity, all of the Dauntless sprung up and started sprinting towards the door. Will and I quickly followed laughing our heads off at absolutely nothing. I felt free. Will took his glasses of and threw them into a brick wall as we were going down the stairs.

"See that Erudite? We're gone!" Will said looking like a wild dog. We kept running until the Dauntless started climbing up these columns. I started climbing with ease and when I got to the top I saw the tracks and knew what came next. People started running to get ahead of the train, but I saw Beatrice, struggling to climb up onto the tracks. She had never done anything even similar to this before. They weren't even allowed to run. I grabbed her hand and pulled her up.

"Thanks," She said, smiling one of those rare Abnegation smiles.

"Anytime." I said smiling back

"Come on lets move it Danny!" Will said from up ahead.

"We should probably go." I said

"That might be smart." Beatrice replied. We ran as I saw the train turn the corner. I had watched the Dauntless do this so many times, it looked like it was easy. I kept running and at just the right time I jumped into the train, rolling over and landing on someone. I strech over to look outside the train. A red-headed Erudite boy was sprinting, his face near-purple coloured, to catch up to the train. I held my hand out to him. He looked familiar, and after all, he was from my faction. He tried to grab it, but wasn't quick enough. He fell down, head in hands. He had just failed stage 1 of initiation. Now he was factionless.

"Sorry." I said, looking at who I'd hit. It was a Candor girl with tanned skin and short dark hair.

"It's all good." She said. At that moment Beatrice came in and landed on me, knocking me into the Candor girl.

"Sorry!" Beatrice and I said at the same time.

"An Erudite and an Abnegation, talking at the same time, unusual." The Candor girl said laughing. I laughed, but Beatrice just sat there and smiled occasionally.

"I'm Christina." She said introducing herself to Beatrice and I.

"I'm Jordan." I said

"Isn't that a guy's name?"

"Candors." I said when I realized Will was sitting across from us, listening to our conversation.

"I'm Beatrice."

"That's Will." I said pointing to him from the other side of the train.

"I'm quite capable of introducing myself, Jordan, but thank you all the same." Will said. Christina laughed.

"Get ready." A Dauntless leader said

"For what?" Christina said, looking worried.

"We're jumping." I said. Beatrice nodded.

People started to take run ups and leap off the train onto the roof ahead. Will and Christina jumped at the same time.

"You ready Beatrice?" I asked

"Definitley." She said smiling.

"On three, 1, 2, 3..." I said as we leaped out of the train. I felt the wind fly through my hair and I tried to keep my glasses on. It felt amazing to just jump. I felt like I was leaving my old self on that train, to be driven to wherever the next stop was, but all I knew was that I would never see it again.


	5. Chapter 5

(AN: Thank you to the 58 people who have viewed my story. Its been 1 day (less than) And all you people have already viewed my story! Special thanks to 4fears and nkrockz23 who have favourited and followed my story. You guys encouraged me to finish this chapter quickly, so here's chapter 5. Remember, my writing from now in is very similar to Veronica Roth's I read Divergent, and then just wrote out what I think Jordan would say. I do not own any ideas or general storyline of Divergent. All Divergent rights belong to Veronica Roth. Without further ado, here is chapter 5! Enjoy!)

Chapter 5

I landed hard and rolled in the gravel. It didn't hurt a lot, but my jacket was shredded especially at the elbows. I look at Beatrice. Her sleeve is pulled up, and the skin of her elbow is peeling, but there's no blood.

"Ooh scandalous, a Stiff is showing skin." A Candor boy said.

"Shut up, Jerk!" I yelled back at him. I was Dauntless now. It didn't matter what I said.

I don't know where everyone else went, I think they ay have jumped off the rook onto whatever awaited us at the bottom. It was just the initiates left.

"Okay initiates. I am Max, and here we are at the entrance to Dauntless. If you want to continue here, you're going to need to jump through that opening in the ground."

"Is there like, water there or something?" Will asked

"Guess you'll find out." Max said smirking "Who's going first?" No one answered. Beatrice looked like she was about to say something but I answered first.

"I'll go." I said, instantly regretting my decision.

"Ooh, a know it all going first." Max said in the fake teasing tone I had heard will used so often. "Ok well to late to back out now."

"I wasn't planning on it" I said, annoyed.

"Looks like this one has a mouth on her," Max said to no one in particular. A Candor Boy with dark hair laughed. I think his name was Peter, I was sure I head seen him at the Ceremony, and making smart comments in class.

"Well today would be nice." Max said. I took a step so I was standing on the edge of the roof. I took my glasses of and threw them, down onto the concrete below. I heard them shatter. I needed glasses, but this wasn't the right place for them, I'd have to buy some contact lenses. My vision was blurring, so I just jumped before I could think twice about it.

I felt like my stomach was in my throat. I started stretching out as my limbs looked for somewhere, anywhere to cling on to. The ground got closer and closer to me. I closed my eyes, worried of what, if anything I would land on. I finally hit the bottom and sprung back up again. I opened my eyes to find myself bouncing on a big black net. I lay back and laughed. All of that worrying, over nothing at all.

Just at that moment one side of the net was pulled down, and I slid to the end. Someone grabbed me around my waist and lifted me off the net onto the ground. When I was let go of, I looked at who had helped me. It was a man, probably about 18, with a short (Abnegation Style) haircut, blue eyes and blonde hair, the kind that seems to just border brown. He wore all black (Dauntless colours) and had tattoos peeking out of the hem of his loose shirt.

"What's your name?"

"Jordan."

"First jumper, Jordan." He called over his shoulder, to no one at all, I thought at first, until I heard applause. "Welcome to Dauntless." More Dauntless members came over and clapped their hands on my shoulders, congratulating me. I looked over my shoulder to see the person who had helped me off the net, return to the edge of it and waited. I saw a flash of grey robes before I was guided into another hallway. Beatrice had jumped 2nd.

"Ok transfers, stick with me, the rest of you, follow Lauren." A crowd of people followed a girl into down another hallway, and when their footsteps could no longer be heard, the guy spoke again.

"My name is Four. Most of the time I work in the control room, but for the next few weeks, I will be your instructor."

"Four, like the number?" Christina asks.

"Yes, is there a problem with that, Candor?" he replies

"No."

"Okay then, we're about to go into the Pit which you will someday learn to love. It-"

Christina laughs. "The Pit? Clever name." This conforms my suspicions that Christina is on a death wish. Four walks up to Christina, and just stares at her for a bit. He looks scary.

"What's your name?" He asks so softly, I struggled to hear it.

"Christina." She replies, clearly petrified.

"Well, Christia, if I wanted to put up with Candor smart-mouths, I would have joined their faction." He hisses. "The first lesson you learn from me is to keep your mouth shut. Got that?"

She nods. Four starts walking towards the shadows at the end of the tunnel. We all follow him in silence.

"What a jerk." Christina mumbles.

"I guess he doesn't like to be laughed at."

"True that Beatrice." I say

"It's Tris." She says

"What?" I ask

"I changed it. Beatrice is such an Abnegation name. I'm Dauntless now." I understand where she's coming from. I wouldn't want to have a name that pins me to my old faction. Besides, I like Tris better.

Four opens a set of doors open, and we walk into "The Pit".

"Oh, I get it." Christina whispers to us.

We are standing in a massive underground cavern, that stretches farther than the eye can see. Narrow paths curve around the floor. Uneven rock walls rise high above the crows. Built in shops for everything line the walls. I look around the edges. There are no barriers to prevent us from falling over the side. I shiver.

Thousands of people, dressed in black, line the Pit, shouting and talking to each other. It is chaotic in here, but I like it.

"I'll show you the chasm." Four says. He waves us forward and we follow. Christina keeps her mouth shut, clearly not wanting to have to face Four again.

Four stops in front of a narrow metal bridge. I can hear rushing water. Several stories down is a rapid river. The water collides with sharp rocks, making explosions of water line the walls.

"The chasm reminds us all that there is a fine line between bravery and idiocy!" Four shouts, competing with the roar of the waves. "A daredevil jump of this ledge will end your life. It has happened before, and it will happen again. You have been warned."

"This is incredible." Christina whisper to Tris and I as we move from the railing.

"Yeah, incredibly dangerous." Will says, joining our little group.

Four lead us across the Pit to a big hole in the wall. The room beyond, unlike the rest of the Dauntless compound, is well lit. Enough to see where we are going. We walk into a dining hall, of some sorts, and all the Dauntless inside stand. They applaud us, and stamp their feet. Screaming and shouting as they band their metal cups on the table. This is a nice change from the quiet, studious rooms of Erudite. Christina smiles at me, and Will and I can't help but laugh. A second later I see a smile emerge from Tris. She lets out a giggle and we all laugh at how weird it sounded.

She's still in her Abnegation grey, her tight bun, now loose with strands sticking out. She is a changed person.

We look for empty seats in the hall.

"Over there!" Christina yells over the noise, pointing to the side of the room. The table is mostly empty. I sit between Will and Christina. Tris is next to Christina. She is next to Four. I feel for her. In front of us is a platter. On the platter is ingredients for hamburgers.

I've had them a couple of times in Erudite. Mainly when we have celebrations for getting good scores in tests, or in parties. Tris looks at them. She grabs a bun with beef wedged in between it. She holds it in front of her gazing at it. Christina laughs at her.

"It's beef." Will tells her, "Put some of this sauce on it." Will passes her a small bowl of tomato sauce.

"You've never had a hamburger before?" Christina asks, shocked.

"No, is that what these are called?"

"Stiffs eat plain food." Four says, intervening on our conversation.

"Why?" Will asks.

"Extravagance is considered self-indulgent, and therefore, unnecessary." Tris says, like she's reciting a speech.

"No wonder you left." Christina says with a smirk.

"Yeah, because it was definitely the food, Christina." Will says

The doors to the dining hall open, and a young man walks in. he has two piercings just above his eyebrows, and it wouldn't surprise me if he had more, judging my the dots on his face. and his hair is blonde and greasy. A hush falls over the room.

"Who's that?" Will and Christina say at the same time.

"His name is Eric, Dauntless Leader." Eric's face was twisted into a scowl, as he walked down the empty row, between the tables.

"But, he's so young." I say

"Age doesn't matter here." Four said. Christina looked like she was about to say something, but then Eric started walking in direction of our table. Eric sat next to Four making as all bunch up against eachother.

There were 7 us on the bench, if you include the Candor boy at the end of the bench, Al, on a bench that was clearly made for 5 or 6 people.

"Well Four, you gonna introduce me?" Eric asks looking down towards Christina, Tris, Will, Al and I.

"This is Tris, Christina, Jordan, Will, and Al." Four said without looking away from his hamburger.

"Ooh a Stiff." Eric said

"Don't call her that." I say, instantly regretting it afterwards. Four looks at me, I can tell that he wants to lecture me, but Eric has beat him to it.

"I suggest you keep your mouth shut, Erudite." Eric says. He looks at Four "I would've expected this back chat from a Candor, not a know it all." I want to back myself up, but I know that's not a good idea.

"We'll see how long you last." Eric says looking at Tris and I, pretending Christina isn't there. Tris turns to look at him like she is going to say something but turns back to her food, probably deciding against it. Eric and Four exchange conversation that I ignore until I hear something strange.

"Max tells me he keeps trying to meet with you, but you don't show up." Eric says. "He requested that I find out what's going on with you." Eric raises an eyebrow. Four sits looking tense. He looks hard at the table, as if deciding what to say.

"Tell Max that I am satisfied with the job position I currently occupy"

"So he wants to give you a job." Eric sounds like he's worried. Maybe he thinks Four is a threat to his job, but from the way Four spoke, he won't be going anywhere soon.

"So it would seem." Four says

"And you aren't interested, at all?" Eric asks, his tone sounding more relaxed.

"I haven't been interested for two years.

"Well, let's hope he gets the point then." Eric stands and walks over to another table. We all sigh and instantly shift over. It was uncomfortable with Eric there, let alone being that close.

"Are you two friends?" Tris asks

"We were in the same initiate class, he transferred from Erudite."

"We're you a transfer too?" Tris asks. She's gone too far. I expect Four to get angry, but he just says "I thought I would only have trouble with the Candor asking too many questions." He says coldly. "Now I have Stiffs too?" I thought about backing Tris up, yet again, but the time didn't seem right, plus Tris didn't seem annoyed.

"It must be because you're so approachable. You know, like a bed of nails." Tris replies smiling. Her first attempt at a joke. Four is going to get annoyed, but he doesn't strike me as the kind of person to get angry, and lecture. He stays silent. We all do. Tris' cheeks go red.

"Careful, Tris." He says, taking a sip from his cup. Someone from another table calls Four's name and he gets up and walks towards them. Christina and I turn and raise our eyebrows at Tris. I look sideways at Christina.

"What?" Tris asks I look at Tris then back at Christina who looks at me and nods.

"You know Tris, after my many years at Erudite, I am developing a theory."

"And it is?" Tris asks

Christina picks up her hamburger and says "That you my friend, have a death wish."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

After dinner, Eric leads us through a series of hallways, without telling us where we are going. I don't know why Four isn't taking us but I'm hoping its only for tonight.

We are all silent as Eric leads us through the dark halls. I look to my left. By the sounds, and pattern, or Tris' footsteps I can tell that she is trying not to trip over. I'm not to fussed, so I just walk normally squinting at everything. I still haven't bought contacts yet, but I can still see a bit without my glasses.

Eric stops us all in front of a wooden door and folds his arms.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Eric," he says, "I am one of five leaders of Dauntless. We take the initiation process very seriously here, so I volunteered to oversee most of your training."

I hate the idea of Eric overseeing training. I let out half a groan but stop before anyone hears. From what I've seen of Eric so far, I hate him. But I guess I'll have to do it if I want to survive initiation.

"Some ground rules." He says "You have to be I the training room by eight o'clock everyday. Training takes place every day from eight to six, with a break for lunch. You are free to do whatever you like after six. You will also get some time off between each stage of initiation.

I turn to look at Tris. She is staring at the wall, clearly in deep thought. She has a small smile on her face. I guess they couldn't do what they wanted in Abnegation.

I was never allowed to do what I wanted in Erudite either. Every day I was always studying or doing something to expand my knowledge. If I wasn't I was usually at some lecture, or sometimes at extra school classes. My phone was always taken away when I got home so I wouldn't get distracted. I guess Tris and I feel the same. We've never got to do what we want, so we won't know what to do.

It was never really the same for Will. Neither of his parents were ever at home. His sister had a job, so she was away all the time. He got to do whatever he wanted to, which usually involved playing on his phone and watching TV.

"You are only permitted to leave the compound when accompanied by a Dauntless." Eric adds "Behind this door is the room where you'll be sleeping for the next few weeks. You will notice that there are twelve beds and only ten of you. We anticipated a higher proportion of you would make it this far."

"But we started with fifteen." Christina interjects. Christina really needs to learn to stay quiet.

"There is always at least one transfer who doesn't make it to the compound.," says Eric, looking down at his hands. "Anyway in the first stage on initiation, we keep transfers and Dauntless-born initiates separate, but that doesn't mean you will be evaluated separately. At the end of initiation, your rankings will be determined in comparison with the Dauntless-born initiates. And they are better than you already. So I expect-"

"Rankings?" Candor girl who I've never met before asks. "Why are we ranked?"

Eric smiles at the Candor girl. In this lighting, he looks evil.

"Your rankings serve two purposes," he says trying to hide his enjoyment of torturing us. "The first thing is that it determines the order in which you select a job after initiation. There are only a few desirable positions available."

I start to get nervous. By the look that Eric gives everyone, I know that the second thing is something bad. Something very, very bad.

"The second purpose, is that only the top ten initiates are made members."

"What?" Christina says

"There are eleven Dauntless-born and nine of you." Eric continues "Four initiates will be cut at the end of stage 1. The other six will be cut after the final test."

"What do we do if we're cut?" Peter says

"You leave the Dauntless compound and live factionless." Eric says casually

The Candor girl next to me claps her hand over her mouth and tries to stop herself from sobbing. I may be one of the smallest, weakest initiates, but I know that I will become a member.

"But that's not fair!" The Candor girl, Molly says "If we had known.."

"Are you saying that if you had known this before the Choosing Ceremony, you wouldn't have chosen Dauntless?" Eric snaps, "Because if that's the case, you should get out now. If you are really one of us, it won't matter to you that you might fail. And if it does, you are a coward."

Eric pushes the door to the dormitory open.

"You chose us," he says "Now we have to choose you."


	7. Chapter 7

**(A/N Thanks to everyone who has viewed my story! I also have a new favourite so thanks to the person who favourited my book. I was thinking of writing a book after this book in Al's POV. The part where he nearly throws Tris over the chasm. If you like the idea, please tell me in a review, thanks for reading, and enjoy chapter 7!)**

Chapter 7

After Eric leaves, we all scramble to get the best beds. They are all set up really close to each other, practically joint. Christina picks the bed closest to the wall. Tris is next to her, then my bed, Will's and Al's.

"Seriously I have to sleep next to you, Danny?" Will asks me

"Suck it up Willow." I say hitting him with a pillow.

"Found the sheets." Peter says, standing behind a cane basket, filled with black bedding. Tris goes up to the basket and starts taking out sheets. She grabs 5 sets of bedding, for Christina, Will, Al, her and Me.

"Hang on Stiff. There's no need to grab so many. You're not home anymore. The blankets aren't food. "You don't have to take them away from the rest of us for the 'factionless'." Peter says using to fingers to signalize sarcasm.

"Where are you taking the food?" Peter says towering over Tris. "Your faction are a bunch of liars. You're keeping all of the food to yourselves. Where's our food Stiff. Tell me what you're doing to it. Huh? Why aren't you talking Stiff?"

"Shut up Peter." I say from across the room

"Oh so a Know-It-All is sticking up for a Stiff. So sweet isn't it?" Peter says sarcastically looking back at Molly and Peter. "You better watch it Stiff, and you Know-It-All, you'll never make it through Stage 1. Just give up already." Peter says advancing toward us.

"SHUT UP!" Al and Christina say together.

"Hey, you guys are Candor, what are you doing with a bunch of losers like them?" He says pointing at Will, Tris and I.

"Peter its not cool to pick on girls, and Will, like that." Al says

"Watch it Albert." Peter says

"Why don't you?" I say from behind Peter. He turns around to comeback at me, but I get so angry, I punch him in the face. My hand hurts like hell, but I enjoyed it. Peter deserved that. I turn around. Will and Christina give me thumbs up, Al looks shocked and Tris just mouths 'Thank you.'

Its been 20 minutes and Peter's nose hasn't stopped bleeding. I take pride in that. Maybe I have a shot at getting through initiation.

Christina Tris and I are sitting on Tris' bed facing Will and Al who are sitting on Christina's leaning against the wall, laughing and talking together.

"So Jordan, why were you and Will hugging at the Choosing Ceremony?" Tris asks me. Will and I look at each other. We had kind of forgotten the argument, and I didn't want to tell them why.

"We thought we weren't going to see each other ever again because we got different results on our aptitude tests." Will said

"Wait, you told each other what you got? Isn't that breaking the rules?" Christina asked

"Yeah." Will said casually shrugging

"So what did you get?" Christina asked

"Secret." I said pressing one finger to my lip.

That night I lay in bed and listened to the even breaths of everyone around me. I could recognize Will's breaths; I had heard them every time we had a sleepover, that was a lot of times. Everyone else is sleeping in black, but before the lights went out, I saw Tris climb into bed in her Abnegation clothes. I don't blame her. In Abnegation, family is all you have. They don't really talk to many people, so they don't make any friends. Abnegation is also the most loyal faction, they've had the least transfers, so she probably will stay loyal to her faction for a while.

In here, I can't see anything. In my old room I had a clear view of the sky. No buildings blocking it. Every night when I was studying, I would watch the sunset from my window. Back when I was 6, I imagined myself, farming in the Amity compound, sitting with the rest of my faction as we watched the sun go down over the farms. Back then I had my heart set on transferring to Amity. Things have changed since then.

I start to think of home. It might have been hard work, but I knew where I belonged. I knew that I was smart, my future would be successful, and I would always have Will there with me. Now I'm not so sure. I start to think of my family. I rarely ever saw my dad, he was always at work. But those moments in which I saw him were golden. Unlike most Erudite men, he had a sense of humor, he was kind and unlike most of the Erudite dads, he actually regretted working so much, and longed for time with his family. I wish I had seen more of him. If I had stayed in Erudite, I would belong, I would know what to expect, and I would have seen more of my dad. I will never get to see him again. He'll be too busy to see me on visiting day.

Tears form in my eyes when I imagine his face. I blink and one rolls down my cheek. I wipe it away with the heel of my palm. I will not cry here. I open my eyes wide as I always do to stop my self from crying. I wonder if anyone else feels like this.

Will seems to already love it. After one day. He's completely forgotten Erudite. But he's Will, I'm me. I will always carry it along with me, Just like Tris.

I'm sure I'll be fine here. No more books, no studying, no exams, no late hours spent reading about history, no anything Erudite related. I will have time to myself, and I can finally stop wearing blue, I have always hated that colour.

Here I can befriend Tris, Christina and Al. Grow old with all of them, and Will. We will be each others rocks, to help us get through initiation. Its been one day, but I already love all of them, including Christina and Al, whom I've already met today.

Christina, with her Candor humor, or lack thereof. The one who always asks the questions, none of us are brave enough to ask. Her kindness, friendliness and her confidence. I hope qualities like that will rub off on me.

Tris. The bravest person I know. She went from being the shy, skinny, Abnegation girl, who was in my class. Now she is a brave, confident Dauntless initiate, who I share so much in common with.

Al, with his amazing sense of humor. He is just like Christina. He is the only friend I have ever made, that is a boy (Will doesn't count, I've known him forever). I've known Al the shortest, but in that short time, I've got to know him just as well as the rest of my group. He is brave, funny, confident and kind. Unlike Christina, he has a real sense of humor.

Then there's Will.

I've known Will for ages, and he will always be my best friend. He carries the qualities of all the rest of my friends, combined. Even if my other friends turn on me, I will always have Will. William Dayton, my one and only Best Friend For Eternity.

I am about to start crying again when I hear sobs from a couple of beds over. I know its not Will as I can faintly see him facing my way, and I can hear his even breaths.

The springs on the bed creak as a large body rolls over to the other side. Al. I can tell his pillow is pressed to his face, because his sobs are muffled, as if I'm standing 1000 metres away. It surprises me that he is crying, he is the biggest and broadest initiate of all of us. He is only two beds away from me, I could comfort him, without waking anyone else, but will that embarrass him? For a second I think his crying has stopped, but then it starts again. As loud as ever. I need to calm him down before he wakes anyone else up. Next to me I see Tris put her pillow over her head. Looks like he's already woken someone up. I had to help him. I got out of my bed quietly and snuck past Will, who I knew was a heavy sleeper, and didn't get woken up by anything. I felt for the edge of Will's bed so I didn't run into it. I knelt down next to Al's bed at started tapping him so that he would turn around.

"Is that you Jordz?" Al whispered

"Yes it is Al. What's wrong?"

"Never mind, I don't want to talk about it. Just go back to bed Jordan."

"No I want to help you. I'll stay up all night if I have to."

"Fine." I heard Al sniff "I feel homesick. That's all."

"Its fine to miss your own faction, and your family. Everyone does. Don't worry, you'll forget about it when we start training. You won't have time to think about it."

"But I don't want to forget them." Al said, trying to hold back tears.

"You don't have to. They'll always be here." I say holding my hand over my heart.

"But I want them here."

"You'll see them on Visiting Day. Until then you have to make sure you get through stage 1. Make sure you stay to see them then. Make them proud of you."

"You really think so?"

"Trust me they will be."

"Thank you Jordan."

"Anytime. You need to get some sleep now. We have to be up early to train. You need to focus, and learn as much as you can, so that you can become a Dauntless member. Work as hard as you can. If you don't get something, do whatever you can to learn."

"Okay."

"Okay, get some sleep now, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night Jordan, I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"You didn't. Good night Al."

I start to get up as Will turns over. I walk past quietly and just as I get into bed Will whispers so that only I can hear.

"I knew you would give up and help."

"Shut up Willow."

He just laughs quietly then turns away from me and falls to sleep. Not long after, I fall into the darkness and sleep in silence, secretly feeling good about what I had done.


	8. Chapter 8

(AN: Hey guys I haven't posted in a while so here is Chapter 8 for you to enjoy! :) )

Chapter 8

The first thing you will learn today is how to shoot a gun. The second thing is how to win a fight." Four starts handing out guns, starting at Tris and then passing one to me. "Thankfully, if you are here, you already know how to get on and off a moving train, so I don't need to teach you that."

I'm still tired after last night. I'm just thankful that Al eventually got to sleep. If he hadn't I would probably be on the ground, sleeping, right about now.

"Initiation is divided into three stages. We will measure your progress and rank you according to your performance in each stage. The stages are not weighed equally in determining your final rank, so it is possible, though difficult, to drastically improve your rank over time."

I inspect the gun in my hand. It feels smooth but heavy. I can almost feel the danger in this gun.

"We believe that preparation eradicates cowardice, which we define as failure to act in the midst of fear." Four says. "Therefore each stage of initiation is intended to prepare you in a different way. The first stage physical; the second, primarily emotional; the third, primarily mental."

"But what does firing a gun have to with bravery." Peter says with a yawn.

Four flips the gun that he is holding, in his hand, presses the barrel to his forehead, and clicks a bullet into the chamber. Peter freezes mid-yawn.

"Wake. Up." Four snaps "You are holding a loaded gun, you idiot. Act like it.

Four lowers the gun, and the life seems to flood back into Peter.

"And to answer your question... you are far less likely to soil your pants and cry for your mother if you're prepared to defend yourself. This is also information you may need later in stage one. So, watch me."

Four faces the wall, which is covered in plywood targets that have three red circles painted on them. He takes up a stance, feet apart, gun held in both hands, and he fires it. I look at the target. The bullet went through the very middle of the middle circle. I turn to my own target and stare at the circles.

I have never fired a gun before. I have never done anything like this at all. My parents would disapprove of this. They would claim that I am wasting my knowledge, and my skills on something that will get you nowhere in life. I feel like my mum is standing next to me, lecturing me about the importance of a good job. I ignore her voice, echoing inside my head, and focus on the red circles. My eyes fall on the middle one.

I think back to the stance Four was demonstrating before.

_Feet shoulder width apart. Both hands held firmly on the gun. Eyes fixed on target. Stiff grip on the handle._

I copy the image in my mind and hold the gun tight. I close my eyes, then open them, realizing what a stupid thing that is to do. I press the trigger lightly, and nothing happens. _Is my gun even loaded?_

It must be. I distinctly remember the sound Four's gun made as the bullet was locked into place. My gun did that before. I must not be pressing hard enough.

I think about my old faction, and forget the sound of shooting around me. My mum, locking me inside my room, telling me she wouldn't let me out until I finished studying. I would be cooped up in my small bedroom for hours, studying, and memorizing and reading about things I couldn't care less about. I hear my mums voice yelling at me when I came home from school once with a B-.

_"__You have disgraced your family! You will never succeed in life at the rate you're going. You are a failure! You always will be! You will never, ever be good enough for Erudite!"_

I squeeze the trigger. The bullet explodes out quickly, sending the gun back towards me, but I am so full of anger, that my grip is tight enough to hold it forward.

I look closely to see where my bullet hit. I still haven't bought contact lenses, I'll get them tonight after training, so I have no idea where I hit.

"Jordan! You just hit the very middle on your first shot! How did you do that?" Al says, his mouth set in a massive 'O' shape.

"Um.. I don't know. I guess it just happened?" I replied

"Just happened? Dude you're amazing!" Will says walking over in a state of disbelief.

"OMG! How did you do that?!" Christina asks.

"I don't know." I reply. Soon all the initiates are crowding around me, except for Molly, Drew and Peter, asking me for tips, and how I did it.

"Nice Job Jordan." Four says looking at the target. "If I gave you two more bullets, do you think you could do it again?" I nod. I'm ready. I did it once I can do it again.

Four hands me two bullets that I load into my gun. I start to set myself up in the stance that I've already memorized.

_Feet shoulder width apart. Both hands held firmly on the gun. Eyes fixed on target. Stiff grip on the handle._

This time I think of Jeanine, and all of the cruel things she said about Abnegation in those articles. They were all lies. My mother used to read them to me at the table. My dad just sat there, his head in his hands, rubbing at his temples.

"What's wrong Stiff-Lover? Getting a little _Stiff_?" Peter says mockingly. I try to ignore him but he keeps commenting, and taking my concentration off the target. I shoot. It misses the target completely. Not even the corner of the plywood.

"Aww come on. Getting a little _Stiff _in front of a crowd?"

**_Stiff_**

The word spins around my head. Tris had been called this her whole life. No wonder she hated it, and now Peter had pinned it on me because I was her friend?

I would not let Peter get to me again.

He can make all the Stiff insults he wants about me. It'll just fire me up again, like it did on my first shot.

"Go Jordan." Will says

I focus on the target, ignoring Peter's insults. I imagine his head on the target, yelling insults at me.

_Stiff. Stiff. Stiff. Stiff. Stiff. Stiff_

The words are practically rolling around in my head. I think about giving up, I'm getting kind of dizzy, but I won't do it here. Not in front of my friends, or my trainer, or my class and certainly not in front of Peter.

_I Am Not A Stiff._

I pull the trigger hard, and try to watch where it hits, I can't see it now, but judging from the applause of Will, Al, Christina and Tris, I know where it went. I place the gun down and run towards them. I hug Will first, then Christina, then Al and finally Tris. She smiles at me.

"You did amazing."

"Thanks Tris."

We all keep firing shots at the targets. I keep making them, and I'm starting to get bored. I'm standing next to Tris and Christina, shooting away at my target. I look to my right. Tris looks like she's having trouble. Every time she shoots, she jumps away from it, like its poisonous or something. She keeps shooting, but judging from the sound it makes, as it hits the brick wall, it's missing.

"Statistically speaking," Will starts "you should have hit the target at least once by now, even by accident."

"Will-" I start about to yell at him for being so impolite

"Is that so?" Tris says, like she isn't insulted by that comment, at all.

"Yeah, I think you're actually defying human nature."

"Oh shut up Will." Christina yells from my left

Tris turns back to the target. I can see her focusing on it really hard. I wonder what she's thinking. She squeezes the trigger and keeps her feet planted to the ground. The bullet doesn't sound the same, so I'm guessing it hit the plywood, although no one cheers, so I'm guessing it was the edge of it.

She raises an eyebrow at Will.

"So you see, I'm right the stats don't lie." Tris smiles.

It takes her five more shots to hit the centre, and when she does we all jump up and start cheering. Tris puts the gun down as we all run in for a victory group huddle. Tris looks really happy, and I'm happy for her. She must finally feel like she belongs.

By the time its lunch, all of our hands are sore from all the shooting. Tris walks in massaging her knuckles. Christina invited Al to come sit with us. I try not to look at him. He's probably embarrassed from the crying last night, and I don't want to bring it up again. Tris looks really worried. She is kind of drifting away from conversation. She keeps her head down. I wonder if its Al. She seems so comfortable around us, but she doesn't really know Al that well, and I don't think she is the kind of person who can just know someone in two minutes, as well as someone she's known for a year. But something tells me it isn't that. It's the why that she just seems so distant from us, like she's in deep thought.

"Oh come on Al you don't remember me? We were in Math together just a few days ago. And I am not a quiet person." Christina says yelling at Al

"I slept through Math most of the time, it was first hour!" Al replies

"Tris." Christina says snapping her fingers in front of Tris. Tris seems to just snap back instantly into the world. Her eyes wide and blinking, as if she just woke up from a dream.

"What? What is it?"

"I asked you if you remember ever taking a class with me." Christina says "I mean, no offence, but I probably wouldn't remember if you did. All the Abnegation looked the same to me. I mean, they still do now, but you're not one of them."

"I don't remember one with you, but I was in Jordan and Will's class." I look at Tris. I didn't know she even recognized us. She was always staring out the window, not really paying attention to the real world.

Christina rolls her eyes. "Ugghh."

"What?" I ask. Christina points to a table across the room, where two initiates sit together. Their elbows are touching, and they're kissing. I recognize the girl, Myra. She was in my class. The boy looks familiar, as I always saw those two walking together after school, and although he was in my faction, I'd never met him.

"Do they have to be so public?" Tris says

"She just kissed him." Al said frowning at Tris

"A kiss is not something you do in public."

We all stare at Tris. But then we just smile, realizing again, that she transferred from Abnegation.

"What?"

"Your Abnegation is showing. The rest of us are all right with a little affection in public." Christina says.

"I guess I'll have to get over it.

"Or you can stay frigid." Will says with a mischievous look. I throw a roll at him. He catches it and bites it, smiling at me, full of pride. I nudge him and he nearly chokes on the roll.

"Hey!" Will says.

"Don't be mean to her." I say

"Frigidity is in her nature. Sort of like being a know-it-all is in yours." Christina says

I put my hands up in front of my face and scoff.

"No offence Jordan." Christina says. Will makes a comment that I don't hear because I'm too busy pretending to be angry at Christina. Al and Will start laughing, which makes Tris start laughing. She has the funniest laugh, so soon we are all laughing our heads off, with everyone in the cafeteria staring at us.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

After we finish our lunch, Four leads us down a series of corridors to a room none of us have ever seen. It is a massive room, covered in wooden floorboards with a large circle painted in the middle. Green chalkboards line the walls with our names written in alphabetical order. On the other side of the room, there are big, black faded bags. Probably used for punching. We line up behind the bags as Four walks back and forth in front of us.

"As I said this morning," says Four "next you will learn how to fight. The purpose of this is to prepare you to act; to prepare your body to respond to threats and challenges-, which you will need if you intend to survive life as a Dauntless. We'll go over technique today, and tomorrow you will start to fight each other. So, I recommend that you pay attention. Those who don't learn fast will get hurt."

Four starts naming punches and demonstrates each one on the spare punching bag. He walks past us as we all try them on our punching bags. I keep hitting the bag, but it doesn't move. In no time my skin is red and peeling at the knuckles. All around me everyone seems to know what they're doing, but every time I throw a punch, it just feels wrong, and looks different to the way everyone else is doing it.

Just as I turn to my right I see Four touch Tris' stomach and mutter something to her. He takes his hand away and keeps walking. Tris takes a few seconds before she returns to punching.

"Well are you gonna punch, or just stare at the Stiff the whole time?" Four says raising an eyebrow at me. I didn't even realize he was there.

I turn back to the bag and attempt to do the punches the way Four did them, but every time I imagine the way he did them, it just seems different.

"You're doing it wrong." He says

"I realized." I reply

"You're far too close to the bag. You need to take a couple of steps back." I start stepping away from the bag. I try punching this time. It still feels weird, but better than before.

"You're just like the Stiff." He says

"I don't need another Peter insult, thank you all the same."

"No, I don't mean it like that. You don't have much muscle, you and Tris. You're better of using your elbows and knees because you can't put lots of power behind them." I nod and start hitting the bag with my elbows. It feels a lot better.

"Oh, and if Peter tries to mess with you again," Four whispers in my ear "Just hit him." I turn to look back at him, but he's already disappeared.

Four finally dismisses us for dinner, and Tris, Christina, Will, Al and I group up again. Christina mutters something to Tris about Four being scary and Tris replies in a tone that suggests doubt.

"I want to get a tattoo." Al announces as we walk into the Pit

"A tattoo of what?" Will asks

"I don't know." Al laughs "I just want to feel like I've actually left the old faction. Stop crying about it." He says, staring at me. I pretend to be distracted by a little Dauntless boy.

"I know you've all heard me." Al adds, staring at Will in particular

"Yeah learn to quiet down will you?" Christina says poking Al's arm

"Can you handle a tattoo?" I ask Al. He shrugs at me and smiles. I hear Will cracking some sort of stupid joke, and hear Tris groan in response. We finally agree in meeting the boys at the tattoo parlor, after Christina, Tris and I shop for clothes.

"What is wrong with my clothes?" Tris asks "I'm not wearing grey anymore."

"They're ugly and gigantic." Christina says sighing "Will you just let me help you? If you don't like what I put you in, you never have to wear it again. I promise."

"What about Jordan?" Tris asks

"Oh don't you worry, I'll be picking some clothes out for her too!." Christina says

"Gee, great." I say sarcastically

Ten minutes later I'm looking at Tris stare at herself in the mirror. She's wearing a black knee high dress, her wavy hair out on her shoulders. Christina gets started on convincing Tris to wear eyeliner, when I notice a shop outside that sells contact lenses and glasses.

"Can I meet you guys in about five minutes?" I ask

"But I still have to pick out some clothes for you." Christina interjects

"Just pick whatever, I'm flexible." I say

"Where are you going?" Asks Tris

"I . . . need to buy a new watch." I say coming up with the first excuse that came to mind. I hurry out the shop and keep running to the right until I'm out of view. A big Dauntless group walk back towards the shop, so I walk behind them until I come to the shop. I walk up to the lady at the counter.

"Hi, can I please get some normal contact lenses?" I ask

"Sure what colour?" She asks

"When I meant normal, I meant no colour."

"Oh I thought you meant normal, as in no fluro or sparkles. Ok I'll get you some NORMAL contact lenses. No one likes them, so we have a lot in stock." She disappears from the counter, and re-appears with countless boxes of contact lenses.

"Oh, I don't want . . ."

"Just take 'em. You're an initiate right? You'll need lots during stage one, they come out during fights all the time."

"Yeah, but I don't have that much money."

"Just take them, no one has bought any for 16 years, literally."

"Ok thanks." I say, grabbing the boxes, and shoving them into my backpack. I don't want anyone to know I need glasses.

I walk back over to the shop, just in time to see Christina and Tris walking out. Christina hands me a bag.

"These are yours."

"Oh thanks."

"Trust me." Tris says "I tried to change her mind, but you won't want to thank her. She made some pretty bad choices."

"I did not."

"Please, you have no sense of fashion. No one likes skin-tight, choker dresses, or short ones for that matter." Tris says

"Okay, no you have me worried." I say

"Oh shut up! Anyway we need to go meet the boys for tattoos!" Christina says. We race down the narrow path to the tattoo parlor, to find Al already in the chair waiting to have his tattoo finished. A man covered in tattoos is drawing a spider on his arm. Christina and Will sit together looking through tattoo books, nudging each other when they find a good one. Tris is looking at the artwork on the walls, and I'm waiting here with Al, until his spider is finished.

I turn to see Tris talking to a girl I recognize. She's talking to Tori, the girl who administered my Aptitude Tests. Maybe Tris also had her.

She and Tris walk over to another tattoo chair. Tris sits down, as Tori draws on her collarbone.

"Done." The inked man says. Al stands up and shows me his arm.

"You like it?"

"No. No one likes spiders."

"Okay then fussy." Al says. "You gonna get a tattoo?"

"Maybe." Tris walks back to us and I see her tattoo. She got 3 birds tattooed on her collarbone.

"Nice." I say to Tris

"Thanks."

"But you didn't like mine?" Al says pretending to cry.

"Pretty much." I say as Tori walks over to our group.

"Jordan, you want a tattoo?" Tori asks.

"Um. . ."

"Go on." Al says

"Yes she would." Tris says. I follow Tori over to a tattoo chair.

"So, what would you like?"

"Um. . ." I think about all the things that could represent my old faction, glasses, books, but then I realize something. I didn't like my old faction, but I did believe in their teachings, and manifesto. I don't know, exactly what I believe in anymore, but I decide to get parts of the manifestoes tattooed on my arm.

"Um, you don't happen to have a copy of the Erudite manifesto, do you?" Tori rolls her eyes.

"Yes, I do."

"Okay, there is a certain part of the Erudite and Dauntless manifestoes that I want." Tori gives me the manifestoes, printed on paper, and I highlight the parts I want.

After the tattoos, we all walk down to the bunk rooms together. I can't stop looking at my tattoos. On my left forearm, I have a tattoo of a section of the Erudite manifesto.

_'__Intelligence is a gift, not a right. It must not be wielded as a weapon but as a tool for the betterment of others.'_

And on my right arm, the Dauntless manifesto

_'__We believe in shouting for those who can only whisper, in defending those who cannot defend themselves.'_

I know its crazy, but I can't help in thinking that these tattoos define me. I feel like permanently writing what I believe in, will ensure that I never loose sight of myself. These manifestos are what I live by, and every living moment of my life, these beliefs, are living in me.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry I haven't written in ages :O So I decided to write :-). Thanks to everyone who's been reading. I don't own Divergent, ENJOY!**

Chapter 10

Four steps away from the board. Next to each name is another initiate's name.

_Jordan-Molly_

_Al-Will_

_Christina-Drew_

_Edward-Peter_

_Myra-Tris_

I am up against 'The Tank' as Christina calls her. She is tall with broad shoulders, bronze skin and a big nose. Christina whispers something to Tris and points over at Drew, Molly and Peter.

Al and Will are in the fight circle, shuffling around while facing each other as Four taught us. Its clear who will win this fight. Al is a lot bigger than Will. Well, he's only half a foot taller, but he's double the size of Will.

I stare over at Peter, Will and Molly. Drew is the shortest but he is built like a boulder. His hair is an ugly orange-red that makes you want to gag. Christina starts telling us about how when they were younger, Peter would fight with other kids, and blame it on someone else and of course, since they were Candor, the teachers would side with him. She starts describing Drew and Molly, but I'm tuning out, focusing on the fight as I try to get tips.

Al knocks Will in the side of his jaw, and judging by the size of Al, it would've hurt. Will blocks Al's next punch with his free hand. Will hooks his foot around Al's leg and pulls back, knocking Al to the ground. Smart move. Al and Will circle each other again, deciding their next move.

"Do you think this is a leisure activity? Should we break for nap-time? Fight each other!" Eric yells across the room.

"But..." Al says "Is it scored or something? When does the fight end?"

"It ends when one of you is unable to continue," says Eric

"According to Dauntless rules, one of you can also concede." Four says

"According to our _old _rules, in the _new_ rules, no one concedes." Eric says

"A brave man acknowledges the strength of others." Four says

"A brave man never surrenders." Eric and Four stare at each other. The room is silent until Al breaks the silence.

"This is ridiculous, what's the point of beating him up? We're in the same faction!"

"Oh, you think its going to be that easy? Go on, try to hit me slow-poke." Will teases. I watch as Al continues to throw punch after punch as Will just darts around and ducks each one. Al runs up to Will and punches him hard in the jaw. I watch the light leave Will's eyes. Will crumples to the floor and lies there still. Al starts tapping at Will, urging him to wake up, as we all sit in silence, waiting for him to wake.

"Get him up." Eric says. Four crosses over to the board and circles Al's name. Victory. Oh how I'd long for a victory.

"Next up. Molly and Jordan!" Four yells. I tense. I am not ready to fight.

"Go on." Christina says pushing me

"Good luck." Tris whispers. I walk up to the circle where Molly stands in a fighting position that I recognize from Four's training. I look into Molly's dark, cold brown eyes and shudder.

"Get ready Erudite!" Eric yells. I take up the fighting stance and wait for a signal.

"Well go already!" Eric yells, frustrated. Molly steps and punches at me, but I dodge it. I pull my arm back and aim my elbow at Molly's chest like Four taught me, but she just dodges it. Molly goes into kick me, but I throw myself on the floor and roll to the other side. I punch Molly in the chest, but she moves a second too late. She steps back.

"Come on Jordan, get her!" Tris yells. I go up to kick Molly, but she grabs my foot and throws me to the ground. I rub my back and start to stand up, but Molly shoves me down again. She kicks me in the back, so I have no choice but to bite her.

"OWW!" Molly screams grabbing her foot. "She can't do that can she?"

"There are no rules against it." Four says grinning at me. It's scary to see him smiling. As Molly frowns at Four, I run up and tackle Molly to the ground. She kicks at me as I pin her to the floor, but I dodge. She pulls one of her chubby arms back and throws a hard punch at me. It hits me full force and I get thrown back. Molly stands up and keeps kicking me.

"Why don't you give up Stiff?" Peter asks

"I am not a Sti..." I say just as Molly throws a hard kick at me. My world goes black.

I wake up to see Christina, Tris and Al staring at me.

"Yay, you're not dead." Christina says

"Clearly." Al says

"Where's Will?" I ask. Al looks down and Christina points to the bed next to me, where Will lies, deep in sleep.

"You missed everything." Tris says

"What do you mean?"

"Drew was absolutely belting Christina, so she surrendered. Eric made her hold onto the chasm railing and just hang over the chasm for a full 5 minutes." Al says. Christina shakes her head, trying to clear the thought.

"Well." Christina says changing the topic. "The nurse said you could leave whenever you want, so. Want to get a bite to eat?"

"I was hoping you'd say that." Al says licking his lips. As we leave, I notice Al look over at Will with tears in his eyes. I put my arm around Al.

"He's gonna be okay." I say


End file.
